Bill Bowerman famously stated "If you have a body, you're an athlete." I did some searching and didn't see any occasion that he qualified it with "sexy."
Where do I even start. I can't even deal with Heidi O'Neil's comment. That women need to be "sexy"? FUCK OFF. Really? Now Nike, too, is telling me I need to be sexy? It's so regressive. I just can't.
As much as I can admit Kim Kardashian has been a clever businesswoman when it comes to monetising her image, she promotes a very specific beauty standard; a very limiting and toxic one that perpetuates the objectification of women.
Skims started as a shapewear brand. Just think about what that means for a second. Basically, modern girdles to mould your body into an “acceptable” shape. She even sells a bra that makes your nipples look permanently hard. Give me a break. None of it is about sport, unless “looking hot” counts as athleticism.
I honestly don't think KK does as well as they paint it. Her equity firm Skky is a total failure, no one will invest.
Sure she sells, but maybe it’s more hype than any real substance; more bubble than gum. Let’s see how this collab pans out.
There’s a lot to say and I’ve stated a lot of it on your LinkedIn post.
I’m imagining the triple eye roll of my twenty year old
Former elite athlete daughter at this announcement
I’m imagining the bright, smart women at Nike HQ who spent decades trying to get their products across the line or remind those around the BoredRoom table that our planet is 51% female and they were leaving a lot of money on the table going back to more b-ball. Again.
I have $1Bn in insights (including hundreds of hours courtside with my daughter seeing everything apparel missing for daughters and their Mums)- that show the golden space Mike should lean into.
And Kim Kardashian couldn’t be further from the brand ambassador I envisaged.
But I do know that this has galvanized me even more to find the right brand to disrupt activewear to futureproof girls and women in sport
Without a face and body enhanced by the scalpel and the syringe
Wow. Saw you post this on LinkedIn and had thoughts about this partnership I couldn't quite put into words -- and POV and parsing here are so helpful. Putting into language what I couldn't articulate. This partnership speaks volumes and it's dark, I fear. I came up through W+K PDX and NY, post Janet Champ and Charlotte Moore's tenures, but was lucky enough to know them and before that, I had "If You Let Me Play" worked taped to my Florida dorm room in the 90s. I've lost hope in advertising and branding to do the work to dismantle the systems I once believed they could dismantle, but still, I appreciate the hopeful note you end up on here. Thank you again. Glad to have found you and your Substack.
Bill Bowerman famously stated "If you have a body, you're an athlete." I did some searching and didn't see any occasion that he qualified it with "sexy."
Where do I even start. I can't even deal with Heidi O'Neil's comment. That women need to be "sexy"? FUCK OFF. Really? Now Nike, too, is telling me I need to be sexy? It's so regressive. I just can't.
As much as I can admit Kim Kardashian has been a clever businesswoman when it comes to monetising her image, she promotes a very specific beauty standard; a very limiting and toxic one that perpetuates the objectification of women.
Skims started as a shapewear brand. Just think about what that means for a second. Basically, modern girdles to mould your body into an “acceptable” shape. She even sells a bra that makes your nipples look permanently hard. Give me a break. None of it is about sport, unless “looking hot” counts as athleticism.
I honestly don't think KK does as well as they paint it. Her equity firm Skky is a total failure, no one will invest.
Sure she sells, but maybe it’s more hype than any real substance; more bubble than gum. Let’s see how this collab pans out.
There’s a lot to say and I’ve stated a lot of it on your LinkedIn post.
I’m imagining the triple eye roll of my twenty year old
Former elite athlete daughter at this announcement
I’m imagining the bright, smart women at Nike HQ who spent decades trying to get their products across the line or remind those around the BoredRoom table that our planet is 51% female and they were leaving a lot of money on the table going back to more b-ball. Again.
I have $1Bn in insights (including hundreds of hours courtside with my daughter seeing everything apparel missing for daughters and their Mums)- that show the golden space Mike should lean into.
And Kim Kardashian couldn’t be further from the brand ambassador I envisaged.
But I do know that this has galvanized me even more to find the right brand to disrupt activewear to futureproof girls and women in sport
Without a face and body enhanced by the scalpel and the syringe
Wow. Saw you post this on LinkedIn and had thoughts about this partnership I couldn't quite put into words -- and POV and parsing here are so helpful. Putting into language what I couldn't articulate. This partnership speaks volumes and it's dark, I fear. I came up through W+K PDX and NY, post Janet Champ and Charlotte Moore's tenures, but was lucky enough to know them and before that, I had "If You Let Me Play" worked taped to my Florida dorm room in the 90s. I've lost hope in advertising and branding to do the work to dismantle the systems I once believed they could dismantle, but still, I appreciate the hopeful note you end up on here. Thank you again. Glad to have found you and your Substack.